Like a virgin, touched for the very first time. Only Madonna was singing about the emotions, and Steve Carell plays the living, breathing, 40 Year Old Virgin in this movie of the same title. Carrell, who you maybe familiar with for his appearance in Anchorman, plays Andy Stizer. Whilst Andy has tried to have sex in the past it has never gone his way, ruining situations by kicking girls with foot fetishes in the face, only to just give up. This movie follows him as his work colleagues become his friends and try to get him laid for the first time, and we follow Andy on his quest to lose his virginity that arrives as a quest for love.

Andy works in an electronics superstore and pretty much doesn't have much to do, he just bikes to work every morning (that's right, he doesn't have a car, but that's environmentally friendly). Andy does what he has to do, goes home, and gets paid at the end of the month like any average guy. This means he doesn't have any real friends, except for the elderly couple that live above him and every week he visits them to watch Survivor together. Yipee, what a life. That is why when Andy begins to make some friends his own age there is an interesting dynamic going on. David (Paul Judd), Jay (Romany Malco) and Cal (Seth Rogen) are the main work colleagues that feature in the film, and it is just by luck that they don't have enough people to play a poker game one night so invite Andy along for the ride.

Interestingly this is a major comedy on the movie circuit and it doesn't feature Ferrell, who if you haven't noticed I've been covering quite a bit in my recent reviews. There is a similar line up of characters as David (played by Judd) featured in Anchorman alongside Carell and Ferrell, and even Cal (Rogen) was in Anchorman as an eager cameraman. Not being tied down as a film for the Ferrell fanbase does give this film some wider appeal however.

Cal is the one who works closest with Andy and is pretty much sure he is a psycho, as they discuss what they did over the weekend Cal can dish out all these stories about getting drunk, going to Mexico and watching a live animal sex show, whilst all Andy has to comment on is making an egg sandwich but forgetting he didn't have any bread. Cal finds this mindnumbingly boring, however the whole group are fascinated in him when it comes to sharing sex stories over the game of poker. Andy, embarrassed of being a virginity, comes up with a story that describes a womans breast as a bag of sand, and immediately the gang smell something foul. For Andy he feels like nothing worse in the world could happen.

On his way to work the next day Andy is dreading what might be said to him, and even practiced comeback lines, "So what if I've never had sex, I could still fuck you up." But he soon discovers they're not needed, as everyone is really ordinary with him. Except for Mooj and Jay that is. Jay has set up a video of women in bikinis on all the TV's in their department, and shouts to the roof tops his ambition to teach Andy how to wow the ladies. Mooj tries to give his advice slightly more quietly to Andy, although when Mooj finds out that Andy is 40 and not 20 he is more than a little shocked. I should also introduce Paula (Jane Lynch) at this point, a little older than Andy and his superior at work, but that doesn't stop her from making a move to be Andy's 'fuck buddy'. Surely not, Andy?

A side story to the film is the relationship between Mooj and Jay, the only two coloured members of the cast, who fight at every chance - whether it be over their race or their customers. Jay is not frightened off any fight, and Mooj isn't even. This leads to some hilarious moments.

The attack on his sexual inexperience gets too much for Andy as he rushes out of the workplace, although David follows him and manages to calm him down in a cafe. David reassures him that there is nothing wrong with him, and explains his experiences with love have been nothing short of heartbreaking, with him losing weight and gaining weight. A running story throughout the film is actually the story of David still being in love with his ex, even though she has no interest him anymore and cheated on him numerous times. It's over but David cannot come to believe that.

eBay, we've all heard of it right? Well how about a shop called 'We Sell Your Stuff On eBay'. This shop is located across the road to where Andy works, and one day the owner of the shop comes in to browse and Andy has the pleasure of serving her. Trish and Andy immediately hit it off, and several times Andy tries to pluck up the courage to phone her only he is advised by his friends that if he's going to lose his virginity he should lose it to some nothing girl, because lets face it - first time around, he's going to be awful. Oppertunitys for Andy to get some target practice in do not go his way though; either the girl is passed out, drink driving and throwing up over him or just a very fit freak. More of a Cal kind of girl that last one.

Giving in Andy and Trish begin dating, and it goes really well until Andy goes to the bedroom with her and has trouble discovering how a condom works. As Trish prepares herself in the en suite, Andy goes through rubber after rubber when Trish's daughter from her previous marriage walks in with her boyfriend and that spells trouble. Trish's daughter cannot believe her mother still does not permit her to have sex with her boyfriend, yet from the sight of all the condoms on the floor it gives the impression that Trish and Andy have a very active sex life. Keeping this in mind Andy and Trish decide for the best it is probably they don't have sex until they've reached a high total of dates.

This time allows Andy to almost become a family man, defusing fights between Trish and her daughter as well as entertaining Trish's youngest daughter with magic tricks. Being the geek Andy is, his flat is full of toys still in their original packaging, and the couple set about selling his collectables on eBay, which all together could reach an incredible amount of money that could make their dreams come true. The question is, will Andy finally be able to go the whole way with Trish or will his insecurities get the better of him?

At first I thought the film was a bit too long for me, running at 2 hours and 7 minutes makes it a really long comedy, although on second watch the film really grew on me. There are some hilarious moments, such as Andy getting his chest waxed and the woman doing the waxing can't help but laugh. Also the whole group go speed dating at Date-A-Palooza, and when Jay's girlfriend finds out Andy has to act like he is the sexist pig. The film is a certificate 15 unsurprisingly due to all the sex references, although I feel this film could appeal to a broad range of people - yet it's probably not something I'd watch with my mum. A must-watch 2005 film though, better late than never.